Hubble spots a mysterious 10-sided cloud pattern at Saturn

Saturn has kept a secret for over a decade. From 2012 to 2023, the planet's tilt hid its south pole from view entirely. When NASA's Hubble Space Telescope finally got a clear look again, it found something nobody expected. A giant, 10-sided wave of clouds wraps around the pole, evenly spaced like a strange lace collar. Scientists are calling the shape a decagon.

Saturn already has a famous landmark at its other pole. A six-sided hexagon sits at the north, discovered decades ago and still there today. This new decagon isn't the same shape, and it sits at the opposite end of the planet. Scientists think both patterns come from Saturn's fast winds and jet streams. Those are the same kind of forces that shape hurricanes on Earth. Nobody has pinned down why one pole makes six sides and the other makes ten.

Keep reading — what to watch

Will the decagon still be there years from now, or was this just a passing shape? The hexagon at the north pole has held its form for decades. A similar pattern at the south could last just as long. Researchers plan to keep watching with Hubble as Saturn's tilt keeps the south pole in view. If the decagon holds steady, it could reveal how deep the forces driving it actually reach into the planet.